This invention relates generally to an operational control knob for use with a stove and, more particularly, to a stove knob timer device that provides a first gentle alert after the stove knob has activated a stove heat source and then increasingly aggressive alarm sounds if the knob is not reset or otherwise monitored by a user.
The most common cause of residential fires is unattended use of a stove or range oven. Three in ten reported house fires start in the kitchen. Frequently, this type of residential fire begins and gets out of control while the cook is away from the immediate vicinity of the stove. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires. Constant supervision of a cooking event is, of course, preferable and, in most cases, would prevent most of these types of fires. Unfortunately, however, the cook may become inattentive due to distractions or due to other physical factors. For example, the elderly or others with memory disabilities may simply forget to check on the stove after beginning to cook something. Further, the cook may fall asleep or otherwise become sidetracked in another room. In the meantime, the active stove burner may result in a fire that may grow out of control and become a source of great property loss or even loss of life. Or, a stove knob on an electric stove may be left on after an electric power outage and then may cause a fire when it comes back on when electricity is resumed.
Various devices have been proposed in the prior art that cause a loud alarm or that actually turn off a stove burner after a predetermined amount of time unless a user takes some predetermined action. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices do not provide for consistent monitoring of cooking on a stove through a series of progressively more aggressive alarm stages. More particularly, the existing devices may provide an immediate and sudden alarm that may potentially cause a coronary or neurological problem. Individuals suffering from certain heart conditions and especially elderly persons are susceptible to life threatening medical issues if alarmed or awakened too suddenly. Further, the present devices must be wired directly to the stove at the factory rather than being adapted for universal fit and use with any stove.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a stove knob timer device that includes a timer that is actuated simultaneously when the knob activates a stove burner. Further, it would be desirable to have a stove knob timer device that requires a user to periodically reset the timer and, consequently, to monitor an ongoing cooking operation. In addition, it would be desirable to have a stove knob timer device that provides progressive stages of audible sounds in order to prompt a cook to monitor a cooking event and periodically reset the knob. An increasingly more aggressive alarm sequence would be particularly advantageous to elderly people who seek to maintain independent and active lifestyles.